Rwandan genocide survivor to give retreat

    EARLING – Immaculée Ilibagiza, author and survivor of the Rwanda genocide in 1994, spent three months hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women, praying silently. Her father, who sent her to safety, died along with Ilibagiza’s mother and two brothers. Another brother, who was studying abroad at the time, survived. While in hiding, she prayed the rosary more than 20 times a day, deepening her relationship with Jesus and Mary.
    Ilibagiza will present a retreat at St. Joseph’s Church in Earling on April 1.
    “Having a world-renowned author and gifted speaker in Earling is truly an honor,” said Karen Chamberlain, a volunteer organizing the event.  
    “I have seen people take a lot from my retreat,” Illibagiza said. “One of them is really just hope.”
    Retreatants often tell her their stories. She said one woman admitted she was ready to commit suicide but changed her mind after reading Ilibagiza’s book, “Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Genocide.”
    “There are a lot of things that I can’t really take credit for,” she said. “I truly think that the same God that touched my heart ends up touching other people.”
    Ilibagiza said the other thing she hopes people take from the retreat is the power of prayer.
    “What I think maybe would be different for retreats is that I speak about prayer, but we actually pray together,” she said.  
    She has written several books, including “Left to Tell” and her most recent book “The Rosary of the 7 Sorrows.”
    Ilibagiza has received honorary degrees from The University of Notre Dame, Saint John’s University, and Walsh University. She has been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards including: The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace 2007,” and a recipient of the American Legacy’s Women of Strength & Courage Award.
    Register for the retreat at www.immaculee.com/collections/retreats.